How to Get Rid of Ants

At this time of year, it’s pretty likely you’ve seen a few ants in your home. They enter homes easily and when there is one ant, there are most often more to come. Don’t let your home get infested with ants – be proactive and use these methods to get rid of ants now! Here are some natural pest control methods that work.

How to Get Rid of Ants

In our old house, we always had ants come summertime. It was so stressful, especially when I had little kids crawling around on the floors where the ants were walking. I wish I had known about these methods back then.

Learn How They Operate

Ants generally send out one individual ant to find out whether there may be food in the vicinity. If the mission is successful, the ant returns home and communicates that there is a food supply nearby. They travel as a group in a single file line, following the scent trail that leads them to their newly found jackpot.

This is one thing that I’ve learned that definitely helps in the mission of keeping ants away. Make sure to keep food put away and sealed and keep floors clean. Don’t leave dirty dishes in the sink during warm months.

Find Their Origin

If you have an ant problem, a good place to start is figuring out where they are originating from. If you are able to locate their nest, pour a few large pots of boiling water into it. This should stop the problem from reoccurring.

Confuse Them with Scents

Because the ants rely on a scent trail to lead them back to the food source, you can confuse them by using other scents that will keep them from reaching their goal. Use essential oils such as peppermint, orange, lemon or tea tree. Put several drops of any of these oils onto a cotton ball and wipe around any entrances to your home. This way the scent trail of the ants will be stopped and no longer useful to these pests.

Clove Oil as a Natural Insecticide

Another great essential oil to use in the fight against these household nuisances is clove oil. It is considered a natural insecticide, yet comes without the risks of some of the harsher insecticides. Add several drops to a bottle of water and spray the area where ants are congregating.

Because the oil will naturally rise to the top of the water bottle, be sure to give the mixture a shake each time before you spray.

Keep Your Home Clean and Tidy

Like I mentioned before, ants love a messy or dirty home. Sinks filled with dirty dishes and crumbs on the floor are an ant’s paradise. Don’t let dreams come true for these little critters. Keep your home clean and you will make it a less enjoyable place for them.

Diatomaceous Earth

If you need to get rid of ants quickly, food grade diatomaceous earth is an option. Simply sprinkle it around the affected or invaded area and let it do its job. This substance effectively destroys any insect with an exoskeleton, including ants, by destroying their coating which then leads to death.

Ants are an unwanted guest that many people deal with, often more than once. Don’t let them overrun your home. Take action as soon as possible to ensure that you do not give your home over to these bold strangers, and instead use these tips to effortlessly rid your surroundings of them.

Reader Interactions

Comments

Wow! These are the best tips I have come across yet! We've never had ants in the house, but every spring some show up near the back door and garage door.. I usually use dish soap water and they quietly disappear. Next year will give the boiling water a try, I know exactly where they come from, always the same two spots.. Thank you for sharing these tips!